Academic and professional services partnership needed to improve student experience

A joint Higher Education Academy (HEA) and Leadership Foundation for Higher Education project has highlighted that better collaboration between professional and academic staff is needed for improving the student experience. The higher education market has become increasingly competitive. Students have greater expectations of their university experience, including more contact time and greater personal support. There are many different ways in which this can be delivered; however research suggests that students are more likely to accept this support if it is delivered by academic, rather than by professional, staff. There is a need, therefore, for closer and more collaborative working between academic and professional services, and the project report, Academic and professional services in partnership, explores a range of such collaborations within a range of higher education institutions and identifies some of the key factors underpinning their success. More...